Hello everyone, any help surrouning workout and diet would be really helpful

I guess I should start off with stats. I'm 28, 5'6, 129lbs. I've workout out on and off since high school, but I've never been able to put on weight or build strength no matter what I do. I've been pretty consistent since about the first of the year. I switched from body-part split workout 4x/week to full-body 3/week to try something different and work with my school/work/internship schedule. I've made some noticeable strength gains with this change, and I've gained about 10lbs since (was 118lbs), but it seemed to all go to my gut, and thats kind of freaking me out. I've never had a flat stomach, but now it's noticeable. Should I add in some cardio, or will I eventually grow around it?

Hey, Adam. Nice to meet you. Putting on weight or building strength has to do with the kitchen more than the routine. You started at 118 and got to 129that's a good start. Do more of that. You say your gut got bigger as you got stronger, but I'd say more than that happened as your gut doesn't technically lift anything, so if you got stronger as your post suggests, your muscles did too.

That said, I would gain on that routine you posted. It's fine. Covers all the bases in general. If you are not gaining, you are not eating properly.

So, what is your diet? If routine and commitment are fine, then diet becomes king. Indeed if it is not king already.

Off Road

06-09-2013 12:41 AM

Cut that down to about 6 different [BIG] lifts and get brutally strong on them.
Do the squats, deadlifts, bench, rows, press and chins.
Skip the lunges, face pulls, dumbbell curls, calves and pull-overs. . .
All those little lifts are probably robbing progression from the big lifts, save them for when you advance.

Dray

06-09-2013 12:45 AM

I agree with OR, and that's based largely on my own experiences as a [kinda ex-]ectomorph, having got a lot stronger already over the last year and a bit. What's helped me more than anything else is the big lifts, and eating big. WIthout a doubt.

So, keep it simple. Even better, pick a good routine, like the MAB full body rep goal one, say. Keep progressing with it, every session. Eat more food than you think you need to. Make all kinds of gains.

leefarley

06-09-2013 02:39 AM

what off road said,

and yeah the muscle and brawn rep goal workout is a good one for a ectomorph or any newbie for that matter.

Here you go, Do this in the rep goal system, eat heaps, drink heaps of whole milk. You won't know what to do with your newly found muscles. :ms:

I WILL

06-09-2013 03:56 AM

Hi Adam,
As a very former skinny I agree with OR. Ditch the extras lifts. Don't worry about your belly so much now. You can get rid of it later. Eat a lot and keep it mostly clean calories. How does your pre and post look? That is a good place to add more calories and it will less likely store as fat.

Soldier

06-09-2013 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Off Road
(Post 372813)

Cut that down to about 6 different [BIG] lifts and get brutally strong on them.
Do the squats, deadlifts, bench, rows, press and chins.
Skip the lunges, face pulls, dumbbell curls, calves and pull-overs. . .
All those little lifts are probably robbing progression from the big lifts, save them for when you advance.

This. You're doing way too much crap, and deadlifts and squats are getting the same attention as lunges and face pulls. This is no way to grow. Do one of the big lifts FIRST in your program, and do it heavy and hard. If you can still see straight when you're done hitting 1 or 2 big lifts then feel free to do a few sets of something else.

Don't do another lunge until you can squat twice your bodyweight, which is going to be a lot more than 260 if you do things right.

Also, you need to get on a seefood diet. That means if you see it, you eat it. Set new world records for protein intake, and when you're done training combine that protein with a mountain of carbs.

AdamNC

06-09-2013 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I WILL
(Post 372827)

How does your pre and post look?

Typically I try to have a meal before my workout, usually turkey and rice, and a weight gainer shake after. I'll admit, diet has been my biggest roadblock throughout this process. I'm never hungry enough to eat as much as I need (3200 calories), or my schedule doesn't allow for it. I'm curious how you and others manage this, especially if you don't function socially, academically and professionally within a fitness oriented enviroment?

AdamNC

06-09-2013 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skids
(Post 372824)

Here you go, Do this in the rep goal system, eat heaps, drink heaps of whole milk. You won't know what to do with your newly found muscles. :ms:

Thanks, I'll give this a try this week. It seems comprehensive, and wouldn't take nearlly as much time, which would be a plus.